I had on hand Aleene's Glass & Bead Adhesive, it was easy to use and not overly awful in odor but I do recommend lots of windows open when you use any adhesive product like this. My first cup I centered differently then the the one in the tutorial, mostly because I am an impatient crafter and did not really read the directions first...I did for the second one and they are both going to be perfectly functional. If you set your adhesive and your cup slightly further back you will have more room for birdseed. Now I wait 24 hours for the glue to dry, add a ribbon and some seed and hope that the new life my broken teacups will now have will be long lasting.

If you read yesterday's post you know I have been pretty busy tea tent events this week and yesterday I had my most frequent guests my son Alex and nieces Lb and her sisters Thea & PB, When I was taking their photos I said to Lb "Move closer to your sister" she replied " I can't Aunty her hat is too big!"
Sweet memories in the tea tent this week.

Thank you for joining me for A cup of tea, A tea craft and some happy memories.
As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Thursday, July 30, 2015

So this week I have had the wonderful opportunity to host a few tea parties in my "she shed" or tea tent and I wanted you all to know it is getting good use!

Yesterday I hosted 9 people for tea and it was lovely to all be able to fit under the tea tend to enjoy sandwiches (Egg, Cheese,Apple and Chutney, Cucumber and Cream Cheese) along with scones, cookies, carrot cake and brownies. Yes I made them all.

I snapped this shot just before everyone sat down, it is lovely to have people to share my love of tea with!

Earlier this week I had tea for two with Apple Cinnamon Scones, Herb Goat Cheese and Cucumber, Havarty and Turkey and Egg sandwiches...so many possibilities but there must always be egg!
Today I host another small party requested was my cheese scones and jam sandwiches with brownies. My guests are 7 and 4 and some of my most favorite people! I am also half way through Victoria Hamilton's Death of an English Muffin, hoping to get more of that read later today!
I am off to pre heat the oven and make two little girls and their mom hopefully happy and full today! Thank you for joining me for A Cup of Tea and A Cozy Mystery today.
As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

It is Wednesday and I am so thrilled that yesterday my mail arrived finally with two books and a special UPS delivery of this wonderful new local tea from Capilano Tea Company.

My favorite teas are black teas and I love Earl Grey. I was intrigued by the Capilano Tea Company's Warm Grey blend and the first few sips this morning were indeed warm and floral. This is a blend of Black Tea, Bergamot and Lavender and a very nice start to my day!
The Capilano Tea House has a pop up location currently near Vancouver International Airport and is worth a stop in! You can also find them on line at www.thecapilano.com

Such a wonderful surprise to have Carol J Perry's newest book (Out this October 27th!) arrive as well an unexpected and welcome witchy surprise! I look forward to reading both these books and sharing my thoughts with you. As I finish writing this mornings post I am already on cup number 2 of Capilano Warm Grey tea. I am so looking forward to taking a trip out to their pop up store again at McArthurglen Designer Outlet 1000-7899 Templeton Station Rd Richmond BC.Thank you for joining me for a brand new cup of tea and some wonderful cozy mysteries. As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com.

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

I finished Killer Jam on Satuday night. This is the new Dewberry Farm Mystery is by Karen Macinerney and the first book I have ever read by her. I was sent this ARC to review and I am so thrilled that it was sent to me.

A jam lover myself, I was intrigued by the name, Killer Jam. This series is set in Buttercup where the main character Lucy has been downsized at work and returns to her grandparents farm to get back to basics. She purchased the farm from the town's bully who was sweet as honey at the time of purchasing back her grandparents farm which has been left in disrepair for years.

As Lucy tries her hand at homesteading and just as she is settling into town life her land is threatened by the possibility of drilling for oil on her property her world gets turned upside down. I really enjoyed this first story and feel that the ground work has been laid for a great new series. As for cozy pets go this one is one of my favorites a cow with a mind of her own....read Killer Jam to learn more!
You can order Killer Jam from Amazon to your kindle app by clicking here
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea (Blueberry Black tea to be exact) and a great new cozy mystery.
As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Monday, July 27, 2015

This morning I logged on to Facebook and was so excited with a few of the posts I saw. I am a creature of habit and love my on line community. I am always so very excited to see the posts from my friends in the East who get up 3 hours before me so there is always some really great posts. This morning in addition to the wonderful post from Heather Stillufsen in the image shown above was a photo of something I did not know I had always needed and at the same time never knew excited!

Someone posted this Old Country Roses Tea Strainer and now I do believe I am on a Quest to obtain and enjoy this amazing piece! Now where do I find it?

More in my price range however is the New Country Rose tea strainer which I can order on line and it is on sale for $19.99 you can click this link to see it. I am slightly disheartened to the lack of a handle on this one so I will not rush out to get it just yet.

I am now placing it high on my wish list of unattainable items next to the tea pot to match my Petit Point set! (roughly the same cost!) but hey a girl can dream!

Keep your eyes out for me though you never know what you may find at a tag or yard sale or thrift store! Just keep me in mind!

I hope you have a wonderful day I am off to finish my pot of tea. Thank you for joining me for A Cup of Tea a Cozy Mystery and my dream wish list!

As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Sunday, July 26, 2015

Rainy West Coast Sundays are for cozy cups of tea, mysteries, fuzzy socks and the comfort of a constant companion. Well ideally that is. I am so very thrilled to have the rains return and revive our much needed foliage and more importantly my soul.

I had somewhat of an unsettling day yesterday and I do not much like being made a prisoner in my own home but a series of events over the last few weeks has caused wide spread panic in my idealistic neighborhood. The preceding events causing us to have to keep our doors and windows closed and locked.
Living here for the last few decades I have become accustom to the idea of safety and security and taken comfort in the ability to trust my neighbors, welcome visitors and fully enjoy all my community has to offer. That has quickly changed this summer with a series of break-ins, attempted home invasions and transient "binners" who are aggressive and threatening. Yesterday I was the unfortunate victim of one of these such events and people and I do not much like it. However I hold fast and firm to belief that this is a wonderful community and a great place to live, I will tell you though thoughts of moving have crossed my mind.

I love my community, fought hard to be apart of this community and put down my roots here. So when I had these feelings yesterday I had to really think about why this is happening here and what we can do about it. I do not like to feel idol or helpless so while I feel at a loss for what to do personally and for my community I do feel that at the very least I have finally been given a great motive and plot line for an up coming cozy or story....titles are swirling in my head. Now if I could just get them out of my head and down on paper or on to my computer...well I guess if we are going to have to stay inside and be locked in from the outside world until the bad guys are caught I may actually have time to do this. While home my door is always open and with the summer heat every window and door has been too but that has all changed now. Which makes me very angry.

Last night my wonderful mother in law took me with her to a friends birthday party which was very helpful at clearing my mind. I was reminded of the good in the world, the happiness of family,friends and the serendipitous opportunities to find courage and strength from the experience of others. It was good to be reminded of the bigger picture, the ability to find strength when you feel all is lost and to take comfort in the journey of others.

So as I sit here and write, ponder and sip my now third cup of sanity and strength I will bid you a fond farewell with the wish that you stay safe, happy and that you always have a great cup of tea and the perfect cozy mystery with you.
As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Saturday, July 25, 2015

As I sat down to write this mornings post the skies opened and the rain is coming down in the perfect summer storm. The sky is mostly blue of to the west so I know it will be a passing shower but the water is jumping from the road so high and the flowers and I am so thankful for this much need rain.

This week I have had mostly my kindle app on my ipad on my table. Still awaiting what I am certain is now a lost order. I have checked with the local post office and they are not holding my mail so it is either lost and forgotten in the Vancouver Depot or simply not going to arrive. This happened in January and it was three months before they found it. I am so frustrated and wish that our mail system here in Canada was half as reliable as that of my American friends and would love to have the customer service that my British Friends receive.

Also on my table and now in my stomach was delightful treats from the UK, I have only 1/2 tin of the Clotted Cream Shortbread from West Minster Abby left and have enjoyed every bite of shortbread my sister and her husband kindly brought back.

I am now on the second cup of tea this morning and the passing shower has mostly passed I do believe I will try to get a few more chapters read in my ARC of Killer Jam.

Give em Pumpkin To Talk About out Aug 4th!
I hope you have a wonderful Saturday and that you find time to read. Thank you for joining me for a week in review of what has been on my table and in my cup this week.
As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Friday, July 24, 2015

You may know from reading my past posts that I live on the West Coast of Canada. We have had no rain to speak of in almost 3 months and this morning I woke up to a sound, smell and feeling I have so missed. The rain has returned. The leaves on the Japanese Maple are heavy with rain and my outdoor pillows are drenched and I could not be happier.

I honestly feel like I can finally breathe again. What are restorative feeling this summer shower has brought with it. The perfect weather for sipping tea, staying in my pj's and reading. I can not think of a more perfect way to spend this rainy Friday morning, even if it is for just a few minutes before swimming lessons, grocery shopping and life get in the way. Take time to enjoy the magic that today offers even if it is just for a few moments.
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea this morning and the mystery will be if the mail man makes it through the rain with my much anticipated order...
As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Greetings from my table this morning. I am still stalking the mail man for my Death of An English Muffin by Victoria Hamilton no mail yesterday it is really getting frustrating but that shall be on the top of my TBR pile when it finally does arrive. I will say that my Kindle App does have several books on it I could be reading and one or two I am reading but for me there is nothing like the feeling of that book in hand.

My Kindle app on my Ipad is pretty sweet though and I do like that I can take it with me but what I don't love is that the battery ran out while I was reading. I know first world problem but still for me Paper books will be always first and foremost. Until the mail man stops by with my paper book I am reading Killer Jam by Karen MacInerney which is out later this month. Thankful that I am not with out something to read. What is on your TBR pile?
Thank you for joining me for A Cup of Tea and A Cozy Mystery today. As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

As I write this it is just before 8 am. My house is almost silent. My house guests from the last three weeks have left and suddenly my family of 5 feels tiny. That happens when you go from a family of 5 to 12 for about three weeks. My sister and her family live in Montreal and they came for their summer visit, divided up their (4 plus one friend) for the last week. While my sister and her husband flew to England for the week. They left me the two oldest both 9 and then, on the last day their twins joined my family and then they arrived and my other sister brought their 2 year old son, on my lawn last night we had 12 children 7 adults and a loud, large family last supper before we drove them to the airport to fly home.

My brother in law kindly picks up shortbread for me on his buisness trips to England and this time he brought home a selection I had not had before. My sister picked up the Clotted Cream Shortbread from West Minster Abby for me ( the circle ones) and my Brother in law stopped in Scotland for the Shortbread House of Edinburgh Shortbread (the rectangle ones) which were by far the best. I do love my Walkers Shortbread and the Pure Butter ones which are the triangles are my stand by favorite and the recipe is different then what you can by here in North America.
So as I sit here and write the first post in weeks in silence I sip my tea and nibble the shortbread and write know that later today I will have time to read and share more again with all of you later with a full cookie jar and lovely pots of tea.
Thank you for joining me today for A Cup of Tea and some cozy Shortbread. I hope you enjoy your day.
As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Rest in Peach is the follow up to Susan's Peaches And Scream new cozy series which came out this month and one I thoroughly enjoyed.
If you love peaches you will love the recipes in Peaches and Scream and I am sure there will be even more wonderful peach recipes to go along with the fantastic new series!To find out more or Pre order Rest in Peach please click here.

Monday, July 20, 2015

Yesterday we stopped in at the new high end fashion outlet mall by YVR. The new Capilano Tea House and Botanical Soda Company had just opened.

I attempted to purchase some of the tea however they did not have debit (as it had not yet been set up) so I will have to wait until the next time I find myself out that way.

I was interested in trying this tea because they boast that "The Capilano Tea House and Botanical Soda Company is Indigenous-owned and plant-inspired. We infuse the traditional local with the traditional global for a very Vancouver, curated flavour offering." As I live on the Traditional Lands of The Sqaumish Nation I really would like to see this company do well. This company has a pop up summer store at Summer Pop Up at unit 33 - 7899 Templeton Station Road, Richmond, BC.Hawkers Mercado at McArthur Glen Vancouver.You can find them online by clicking here I will be attempting to get a hold of some of their teas and let you know what they are like.

Sunday, July 19, 2015

It is Sunday Morning and as I sip my tea in the silence of the morning, while waiting for the chocolate muffins to bake with the only sound being the whirling of the fan, I thought I would share three tea time inspired crafts I loved this week.

The first is a photo that appeared in my news feed on Facebook. I think I want to make a few of these. Simple and fun, using Sharpie Markers, a white plate and your oven you can create this fun Giving Plate...I do believe I will be looking for white plates I can use at my local dollar store or even walmart!

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and some cozy tea crafts this morning. I am off to take the muffins out of the oven! As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Saturday, July 18, 2015

Sorry for the late post today. Last Saturday I was in a car accident and I have been trying to take it mostly easy. We were rear-ended and we are mostly okay. We hope our vehicle will be back in time for our trip in a week or so.

Even through the discomfort this week I did manage to read two wonderful books. Caught Dead Handed by Carol J Perry and Arsenic and Old Books by Miranda James.

In my cup this week I had lots of Heavenly Creme black tea but I also had lots of iced tea!

I saw this sign on line and I would love to duplicate it, but I also need to finish reading Tea Leaf Reading for beginners first. Maybe on that long drive I have coming up!

I pre ordered this book and am anxiously awaiting it's arrival. I am starting to think someone is holding and reading my mail first!
I would love to know what you are reading these days! Thank you for joining me for A Cup of Tea and A Cozy Mystery week in review! As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com